9th Day, Moon of the Black Star, Year of the Dragon 213
Arrival in Shieldmeet

Hmmm… well… imagine my surprise when the head of the caravan tells me that we're heading to Shieldmeet to make our fortunes performing in the city. I can only wonder what sort of additional… complications… that will introduce to the situation at hand.

Ah well. The show must go on, eh?

It took a bit for Feliks and I to get settled after the unhappy demise of our former caravan (damn the Aramethi!) but we seem to be thriving with the acrobatics, his superb fire eating performance, and my comedic, er, stagecraft.

I was amazed by the… vastness… of the city upon our arrival. Certainly unlike much of what I've seen in my short time in this world. My hope is that we will be able to immerse ourselves with ease and aplomb. And avoid running into certain folks. Better not to have any sort of unpleasantness to mar our time here.

Seems that the world is awash with new possibilities… what then, lies ahead?

9th Day, Moon of the Copper Star, Year of the Dragon 214
Meeting with Aben

My! I've been quite neglectful of keeping track of my time here. The past six months or so have been filled with many a great performance! Feliks and I have found a comfortable place to live, and have built a bit of a following at The Wolf and the Swindler. Aurel is even kind enough to let us sleep off our drink when we have made merry too late into the night.

Ah! What a life it has been!

It seems that circumstances conspire, however, to interject at least some small bit of seriousness to both of our existences. Perhaps that is good, though I must say that I haven't much to complain about regarding our time spent here.

The most adorable Basiran historian has hired Feliks and I on to assist on a archaeological project that he has some interest in. Much to my dismay, Feliks spared him none of his razor wit, though, thankfully our new employer's naiveté spared him any embarrassment.

This venture, however, has brought my presence to the attention of those I think it best that I avoid.

Argh, what a hangover… apparently my drinking got the best of my last eve. I awoke surly and definitely in no mood for a bumpy wagon ride.

Our new companions seem a motley assortment of characters. And to my delight, a gnome! With strange weaponry that seemed to unsettle the drunken Elf quite a bit. They seemed to yammer on about this and that, I lost track. There is a very tall gent that carries a big sword, I am sure that will come in handy. And… the oddest Itotian… I suppose he's the healer that Aben mentioned at our meeting?

The three Amarethi bear keeping a watchful eye upon. They don't seem the most trustworthy, in my estimation, even without the warnings given prior to our departure.

4th Day, Moon of the Brass Star, Year of the Dragon 214
Dwarven Mining Camp

I think life outside of the carnival or a proper caravan, at the very least, is not all that it's rumored to be. So far we've been attacked multiple times, have lost a wagon and a horse, and Maksim was gravely injured… though that very strange Itotian healer seemed to have made him well. Under a watchful eye.

5th Day, Moon of the Brass Star, Year of the Dragon 214
Dwarven Mining Camp

This interminable rain continues, leaving us plenty of time to… well… do a lot of nothing. After a night of rest and a potion of healing, the worst of my wounds from the battle with those foul, untrustworthy creatures are better and I am mostly sound. It should be noted that goblins appear, as a whole, to be a bunch of rotten liars that have no sense of honor whatsoever.

I suppose Feliks and my method of running headlong into the thick of things will eventually lead us to some real harm, but where is the glory and adventure in hanging back when danger rears its ugly head?

I've had a chance to pause and reflect a bit, after meeting some new companions, including wee Paul Wennet, who seems to be a roguish sort of some skill, though he seemingly is attempting to downplay that a bit… he shows the signs of the trade, I think. Also joining us is Vin Travell… Amarethi Bard Extraordinaire.

Feliks tells me my complete lack of trust and immediate suspicion of all those from Amareth needs to be toned down a bit. I am not sure if I agree. He points out, somewhat rightly, I suppose, that one of the Amarethi guards laid down his life in our defense. But I chose not to quibble with him that it was in defense of the group as a whole, and certainly more in the interests of protecting our employer and his goods than making sure that a group of Sclavini survived the encounter. But I do admire Feliks for his good heart, even if I don't share his trusting nature.

We shall see if this Bard proves different from the rest of the provincial and in my opinion, universally stupid and prejudiced peoples of Amareth. Already he has mentioned having been persecuted for practicing magicks that displease his people… that certainly piques my interest. He at least seems different enough from most Amarethi I have come across.

It would seem that the haul we brought out of the mines was met with a lot of interest, as we turned a nice profit selling the goods to the nice Dwarves here in the town. Feliks really doesn't much care for it here, but I don't think it's so bad. Except for the rain.

Aben and I have had a rather interesting discussion regarding that which we seek to uncover and a few odds and ends we found in the mine. Well, really, one thing, which disturbs me quite greatly, which I hope he keeps close to him, as it reeks of evil to me. I am rather interested in a few of the items connected to our venture that bear further examination. Perhaps if I get a free moment away from the thick of things I can get Feliks to help me take a look…

I am told we are arrived at the site. Or above the site. Well above the site.

I am not liking this one bit! I took a quick glance over the edge of the cliffs to see the ocean once again… beautiful, until I noticed the harrowing drop to certain death that lay below me.

The two tall gents assure me that all is well and they have this all in hand… whilst one of them has problems with the gear on the way down. Not much in the way of inspiring confidence, that. Scaling cliffs is not foremost in my list of capabilities, and I do not look forward to the morning ahead.

I have had a chance to chat more with the Gnomish fellow as well as the er… Goliaths, I believe they are called? They seem a nice bunch, though the Gnome certainly is surly in the morning! He does have a fabulous set of eyewear though! I wonder where I might acquire such fashionable items (aside from Flint himself at what seems to me to be a rather hefty cost)!

We left the prisoner on the far side of the river… curious man, that Jack. It still worries me some that our companions were willing to hand him over to the healer for more of his not so tender ministrations after his attempted escape. Luckily he has the Sclavini there to protect him from such barbarous behavior… even if Kae wanted to throw his shoes in the river (not that I don't fully support him in this, after what they did to poor Maks!).

I am off to try that new tumbling pass before it becomes too dark… well away from that cliff edge. It still gives me the creeps that we are so nearby such a large and deadly drop. An early night's rest for me!

13th Day, Moon of the Brass Star, Year of the Dragon 214
Evening following the first foray

Interesting. Very interesting.

The Doll seems to have some bit of influence over me these days, as its guidance allowed me to find the actual door to the Complex. Seems that my companions are a suspicious lot, but I get ahead of myself.

So the Complex seems fraught with danger… upon entering, we were beset by a giant snake, which we dispatched with little effort, though Lalinlor seemed keen on recovering it for what I can only imagine would be for some nefarious purpose. There is something just not right with him. We then encountered traps, a living piece of shrubbery, an abomination that seemed to have a particular interest in Flint and some Undead creatures. We are finding some items of interest. A magical breastplate, some coins and gems… seems like there are things that are hidden away that make this place an adventurer's dream come true.

To me, it is just a little creepy and makes me feel a bit uneasy.

This is especially the case upon our discovery of these strange Cowled Ones. They seem to have an affinity to me… bursting into flames, screeching at me in ancient tongues. I felt more than a little out of control when I was around the foul creatures. I was unable to keep my powers hidden any longer and was compelled (I think) to attack using the Eldritch energies at my command. Or, maybe at some Other's command, as the case may be. The Doll and the pendant that Aben gave to my care both seem to be acting peculiarly since entering the Complex.

All this has led to suspicion and unease on the part of my fellows. Such prejudice and intolerance is sad indeed, but I am far from home. Feliks seems quite protective, and I hope to be able to rely on the support of my fellow countrymen should this become a greater issue. Trouble seems to be brewing, at least with Slowthinker. It is frustrating to me to have kept these powers hidden for the most part, just to have them manifest themselves in a situation in which they were out of my control. No matter. I am what I am, and I am at peace with that.

15th Day, Moon of the Brass Star, Year of the Dragon 214
Upon return from the Druid Grove

Much has happened since I last wrote, I realize, and it has been the space of only a few days. I am a bit short on sleep, so I shall attempt to gather my thoughts and write them before I forget all that has occurred. We return in the morning to finish the task of clearing the Complex before returning to Shieldmeet. Perhaps on the journey home I may have some more time to pause and reflect.

Not even an hour after finishing my last entry, Dima and Maksim came rushing into camp reporting a grim discovery. We were off to investigate, to find a most gruesome sight (and site!) indeed. It would seem that a number of people were sacrificed in a most foul manner. The Amarethi spoke of the Old Ones. And again Slowthinker accused me of having some dark knowledge from the day's prior events. Such ignorance! We found a survivor and brought her back to camp. She lost no time in giving us a reckoning for what she believed to be our idiotic behavior associated with the opening of the Complex. While I don't suppose investigating a place that we've been warned contains great unspeakable evil might be the wisest course of action, she was quite rude!

I have noticed feeling chilled more often lately. I have had to ask for extra blankets quite often. And I have such strange dreams. Ice, the North, the Wolf. It's so strange to me.

We returned to the Complex the next day, despite our prisoner's dire warnings, and encountered even more Undead. Feliks was unnecessarily protective, which was chivalrous, but annoying. And led him to become quite injured, the daft man! And speaking of! We found the heart of the Complex, the very ROOM OF THE BEAST, and what does he do, but rush the damned Creature like a noble fool and nearly get himself killed? We found a fair bit of fascinating stuff before finding the Creature and that which was our ultimate goal… THE BOOK! Slowthinker, for some bizarre reason, thinks himself to be the "protector of good" and has elected himself as the bearer of such things. Annoying.

The Creature and I had an interesting conversation, and It apparently speaks the tongue of the Daemons. I guess that gave my companions pause, as none of them clearly do… though I suspect that Lalinlor may know more than he lets on. At any rate, I am told that during the epic final struggle, two bright lights, the Spirits of the Creature, and I believe the Doll, our Protector, battled it out. I was not witness to this, having been rendered unconscious. And my companions are a truly untrustworthy lot when it comes to recounting the tale, since a good portion are BIASED, and the other were EQUALLY UNCONSCIOUS. I swear. PIVOTAL MOMENT, and no one even awake or aware enough to report the outcome? Ludicrous!

My understanding is that the Spirit within the Doll took brief residence within Aben (who retains some of her memories). The Creature managed to possess Dima, and half of the party went wildly off after him. Unwise course of action, that! All this concern over ABEN being possessed, when it was Dima we should have been concerned about. I swear. They accuse me of having some dark knowledge, yet, when I try to impart such "dark knowledge" no one listens. Idiots, the lot of them. We could have probably captured Dima without all this chaos had they listened to me in the first place. But no.

At any rate… the rest of us took off to catch up with Feliks (rash Feliks!) and came upon a strange Druid who was pursued by three men. There was a great deal of confusion at first, but we eventually sorted it out. The men were after her, and seemed to be part of this bizarre cult of the Old One. I wonder if my companions' heads are stuffed with wool instead of brains at times. And they say I am the flighty one! We discovered Feodor's body and learned Dima and Lev were still missing. Also, the Druid… Ashling… was investigating something for her Grove and we found the rather chopped up remains of her companion. So off to her Grove we went, and saw after a proper burial ritual for poor Feodor.

We have now returned, and have decided the best course of action would be to clear the Complex so that the Fiend has nothing to return to, then regroup in Shieldmeet. This seems to me to be an obvious course of action, but of course it is met with endless discussion and back and forth. Not to mention accusations of possession (fingers pointed at Aben and myself). I believe I could shout until I was blue in the face or hoarse or both, and these fools would never believe that the Spirit was benevolent and was probably the only reason the rest of us were spared the indignity of possession by the Fiend.

No, don't listen to the foul Daemon blood when it comes to THAT sort of thing.

10th Day, Moon of the Bronze Star, Year of the Dragon 214
Returning to Shieldmeet

I've not much time on the journey home, as I have volunteered to assist with driving one of the wagons in the caravan. It's a truly tragic loss: no Dima, no Lev, no Feodor. Three more sparrows, Feliks reminds me.

Clearing out the Complex was reasonably uneventful. Well, compared to confronting the Fiend, I suppose anything would be. We defeated more monsters and Undead, though they certainly act peculiarly when Lalinlor is around. And the glow of magic in that place and on people was most pronounced. We must have picked up quite a number of magical artifacts! I even found a magical dagger of Sclavini origin! Naturally, its discovery was fraught with endless discussion of this and that… I ended it with a decisive action of walking right down the pit walls to retrieve it. I lose patience sometimes!

Aben has discovered some things about the Book, we have a haul of items, we caused a great deal more destruction, as usual. Man alive, that Flint has some interesting skills with things that explode! He blew a door right off its hinges, and it looks like once we piece it back together, we may have some clues about the Complex! It was truly exciting! We found some cool statues and magical things… Aben will have a great deal to keep him occupied the coming months. We can hardly get him to chat with us lately, he's so busy with all this stuff. Feliks seems rather interested in the statue of the lady Bard. He keeps that rapier close, that is for certain.

Kae has volunteered to help with my whip routine so that I am prepared to take up performing again once we return to the Wolf and Swindler! He is a sweet man. Though… I suspect that perhaps he may have ties above and beyond those that bind him to Aben. Ashling is an interesting new addition to the party. She has been curious as to the source of my powers and Warlocks in general. As she seems not to suffer from the same ignorance and prejudice that some seem to, I have discussed some things with her cautiously. She intimated that she also wields powers of a rather strange nature, possibly originating from her Fey blood. So both a Druid and a wild caster? How fascinating! She is charming and fun, so at least she is a companion worthy of the Sclavini!

The journey home is tinged with such sadness and gravity. I do my best to lighten the mood as I can.

23rd Day, Moon of the Diamond Star, Year of the Dragon 214
Reunion at the Wolf and Swindler and other noteworthy events

Life has been quite busy, returning from the Complex, getting settled back in here in Shieldmeet. Our apartment was relatively in one piece upon return. Thank the Grey Wolf for that. Nothing like returning to your home being trashed… like the last several times! I swear! Feliks needs to be a bit more particular about who he lets stay here in our absence!

So, he was able to add the three new sparrows, though it seems I will need to add another. I received word that my youngest brother was slain in a purported hunting accident. Prawujeck tells me that the blood traitor may have been involved. If this is the case, her life is forfeit, though he urges caution. How many more bloody marks in her column before she is dealt with? This is insanity!

I saw Quickblades, Paul Wennet, and Ashling at the Wolf and Swindler last eve before learning of the tragic news. And spoke with Lalinlor earlier in the day. It is good to see them all. We have decided to look into the problems in the sewer, since Lalinlor told me that he would be investigating, and he would not be opposed to some company. Well, mine at least. I hope he doesn't mind the others' as well. I've not seen Flint in a while, since I opened Feliks and my account at the Gnomish bank. I hope he keeps the acorn and walnut close. I speak with Aben as often as possible, helping as I can to interpret the ravings in The Book. I am keenly interested in what he remembers of the Doll Spirit's memories. The others I have not seen much of since our return.

Kae has given us two kittens! They are adorable, and I have snuck them into the apartment this morn, unbeknownst to Feliks. He will be so surprised! I was able to get a few items identified and then returned to Aben, and he was kind enough to allow me to keep the Doll and pendant and Kae the dagger. I returned the two items that I had taken into my keeping from the Fiend's room. They were not noteworthy, other than their inherent value as high quality gems and jewelry. I suppose at some point we will have to see about dividing the spoils from the lockbox and coin and gems we hauled out from the Complex, but I am not too worried about that at the moment.

I had an interesting meeting with Prawujeck and as much as I hate being pulled back into intrigue and Family politics, it seems I am unable to avoid it if the blood traitor is moving against us with such bold action, yet again. I had hoped to be done with this nonsense. I stopped by a church to give offerings at the proper shrines, and felt such peace and comfort at the shrine of my Patron. May the Grey Wolf look over us all, we will surely need it. I will keep the idol I happened upon close.

Prawujeck also informs me Rayner is a spy, but he knows not for whom. He complained of us not disposing of the Amarethi on this trip, but I had to remind him that his methods are not mine. Also, the devil we know is better than the one we have to guess at. Sometimes that man is rather impossible, as much as I love him.

Not so looking forward to the stint in the sewers. Might as well prepare and see if I can find Feliks and see if he is up for it.